Worked as a clerk for many years, then made her debut at 40, this was the life of Bollywood’s Mogambo

Amrish Puri Birth Anniversary: Whenever there is talk of the most powerful villains of Hindi cinema, the first name that is discussed is Amrish Puri. Yes, his resonant voice, powerful style, sharp eyes and his mere presence on the screen increased the thrill of the film manifold. With his acting, he had proved that the character of a villain can leave as deep an impression on the hearts of the audience as that of a hero.

Amrish Puri, born on 22 June 1932, achieved that position in the world of acting, which very few artists can even think of. The interesting thing is that he came to Mumbai with the dream of becoming a hero in films, but fate made him a villain who created his own identity in the history of Indian cinema. Even though he is not among us today, the characters he played and his brilliant acting will always remain alive in the memories of the audience. So, on the occasion of his birth anniversary, let us know some interesting and inspirational stories related to his life.

Kept his dream of becoming an actor alive while working

Amrish Puri’s early life was full of struggles. He made many attempts to make a career in films, but he did not get success immediately. After coming to Mumbai, he tried to enter the field of acting, but in the initial phase he had to face failures. To run his life, he started working as a clerk in the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) of Mumbai. The surprising thing is that he did this job for about 21 years. However, despite working, he never let his dream of becoming an actor die.

Office during the day and theater in the evening, this had become his daily routine. He acted on many famous stages including Prithvi Theater and gradually kept improving his art. This theater proved to be his acting school, which later made him a great artist of cinema.

Was rejected in the first audition

Very few people know that Amrish Puri was rejected in his first screen test itself. At that time, producers and directors did not consider him fit as a hero. This failure could break the confidence of any person, but Amrish Puri did not give up. He further strengthened his acting skills and started proving himself through theatre. This determination later became his biggest strength.

Entered Bollywood at the age of 40

In today’s era, where actors debut in films at a young age, Amrish Puri entered Bollywood at the age of about 40. In 1967, he made his debut in the Marathi film ‘Shantatu! Started acting with ‘Court Chalu Aahe’. After this, ‘Prem Pujari’, released in 1970, became his first Hindi film. However, he got his real recognition from the 1971 film ‘Reshma Aur Shera’. After this he never looked back. He showed his brilliant acting in films like ‘Nishant’, ‘Manthan’, ‘Bhumika’, ‘Vidhaata’, ‘Meri Jung’, ‘Nagina’, ‘Ram Lakhan’, ‘Ghayal’, ‘Karan Arjun’, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ and ‘Mr. India’. In his 35 year long film career, he worked in more than 500 films and made every character memorable.

Amrish Puri became immortal by becoming ‘Mogambo’

If we talk about Amrish Puri’s most popular character, it is undoubtedly ‘Mogambo’. This character played in the film ‘Mr. India’ released in 1987 is still counted among the most memorable villains in the history of Indian cinema. His famous dialogue “Mogambo Khush Hua” still remains on people’s lips. This dialogue is not just a dialogue but has become a part of Indian pop culture. Mogambo’s popularity can be gauged from the fact that even today, when a list of great villains of Hindi films is made, this character appears at the top.

Became the most expensive villain of Bollywood

There came a time when Amrish Puri became the highest paid villain of Hindi films. His popularity and acting ability were so high that producers were ready to pay huge amount to cast him in their films. It is said that he used to charge around Rs 1 crore for a film, which was considered a huge amount at that time. Regarding fees, he once said that if he does not compromise with his acting then there is nothing wrong in demanding the right price for his hard work. He believed that audiences come to theaters to see him, so his hard work should be respected.

Very simple person in real life

Amrish Puri was often seen as a cruel, ruthless and scary villain in films, but in real life his personality was completely different. He was a very disciplined, calm and family-oriented person. He liked punctuality and used to do his work with complete honesty and dedication. In the film industry, his name was taken among those artists whose professional image was very clean. He always gave priority to his work and kept his personal life away from controversies.

Love story started with Urmila Diwekar

Amrish Puri’s love story was no less than a film story. He met Urmila Diwekar while working in an insurance company. Urmila’s simplicity and personality impressed Amrish Puri. Gradually, friendship developed between the two and then this relationship turned into love. Although love marriage was not common in that period. Apart from this, both came from different cultural backgrounds. Amrish was from a Punjabi family while Urmila was from a South Indian family. For this reason both the families initially opposed this relationship. But both remained firm on their decision and ultimately the families had to yield to their happiness. Both of them got married in the year 1957 and supported each other throughout their life.

Always stay away from alcohol and gambling

In films, Amrish Puri played many such characters who were shown immersed in alcohol, crime and bad habits. But in real life he stayed away from all these things. He neither drank alcohol nor was fond of any kind of intoxicant. His life was very simple and disciplined. This was the reason why the artists who worked with him also respected his personality.

Had left his mark in Hollywood also

Amrish Puri was not limited to just Indian cinema. He proved his talent in Hollywood also. He played the role of Mola Ram in the famous Hollywood film ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ released in 1984. He had his head shaved for this role. His strong screen presence and acting were also appreciated at the international level. After the success of the film, people in foreign countries also started recognizing him by the name of Mola Ram.

Said goodbye to the world at the age of 72

This great actor of Hindi cinema played countless memorable characters in his career. But he died on January 12, 2005 at the age of 72 due to brain hemorrhage.

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